Broken Warrior
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Leonardo has suffered a great defeat. Now he must forge ahead and move on. Can he heal or will he forever remain a broken warrior?
1. Chapter 1

Broken Warrior

Chapter 1: Defeat

A/N: Here's a story that's been in my head for a little while and now I feel it's time to bring it out and share it with you guys. I love the new series and since Leo got beaten by Shredder, I really wanted to write this story and showcase his recovery. It'll showcase stuff after the episodes that take place. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

Summary: Leonardo has suffered a great defeat. Now he must forge ahead and move on. Can he heal or will he forever remain a broken warrior?

He ran as fast as he could through the sewers. He had to get the Kraang away from his brothers. It hadn't been easy to leave them, but Leo knew it was the best thing to do. He exited the sewers and shivered in the cold air. He hoped that he'd be able to reunite with his brothers soon. He gasped as he spotted the Foot on the roof. What were they doing here? They shot arrows at him, which he deflected. This definitely wasn't good. He turned and ran, and the Foot gave chase.

Leo kept fighting them, but they kept on coming. Was this an ambush? Had this been planned along with the Kraang? Had the Kraang led him here so that he'd be cornered? He continued to fight, though he was slowing down due to the cold. He just wished they would go away so he could get to his brothers. He looked at his phone when he had a moment and saw that Mikey had called him forty seven times. Yeah, that sounded like Mikey, and it made him more anxious to get back to his family. He fervently hoped they'd be okay.

The Foot kept on coming, and Leo kept on fighting. What more could he do? He saw Shredder, Rahzar, Fishface, and Tiger Claw on a roof. Gritting his teeth, Leo issued his challenge, "Stop hiding behind your Foot Bots. Face me, Shredder!"

"You are beneath me, Turtle," Shredder replied.

Leo didn't care and continued to fight. He fell down a slope, pain wracking his body as he fell. He landed in icy water and the shock hit his body like a ton of bricks. He rose from the water, gasping for air. He wasn't down yet, and he rose, glaring at his adversaries, his breath steaming in the cold air. He heard Shredder give a command and braced himself for another attack. Shredder's henchmen hurt him, but he fought back and took them down. He thought the fight was over and that Shredder would retreat, but he felt a presence behind him. He turned and saw Shredder standing there, his eyes filled with hate. Before Leo could defend himself, he felt Shredder's blades slice into his plastron. The pain was too much and Leo blacked out.

A/N: Yep, this chapter was short, but I'll try and have longer ones after this. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Limbo

A/N: So here's the second chapter of this tale. This one will showcase what happened to Leo while he was in his coma. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. I hope you continue to enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

He could hear voices around him though he couldn't make out what they were saying. Something wasn't right, and all he wanted was to go back and make things right. But his body wouldn't move. He was stuck in some sort of state and couldn't get back. He could hear and he could feel. He felt someone carrying him and setting him somewhere. He thought he heard a voice he recognized, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He could feel auras in the room and knew they were of his family. Three of them left, but one remained. Leo tried to focus and soon he was able to make out who it was.

It was Raph. Somehow that made Leo feel better knowing that his brother was there. He felt Raph take his hand and give it a squeeze, and he was able to squeeze back. Hopefully, that would give Raph hope that his brother wasn't gone.

"Get better soon, Leo," Raph whispered. "We need you."

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He was fighting the Foot again. It was just like it had been in the city. Was he still there? Suddenly, Shredder loomed over him.

"You are weak, Turtle," he hissed. "You are not strong enough to overcome this. Surrender to your defeat."

Leo glared at the man who was their enemy. "I won't surrender," he replied. "I'm not weak. I'm strong. I'm a ninja."

"You are pathetic," Shredder contradicted. "You will not survive this."

"Yes, I will," Leo insisted. "I won't give up."

Raph was suddenly there. "Leo, come back!" he cried. "You can do it!"

Leo reached for Raph, but Shredder blocked his way and pushed him back. Leo fought, but he was too weak. Somehow, Shredder was draining his energy. He cried for his brother as he was pulled under.

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He was alone in a garden filled with flowers. It looked like he was in Japan. How had he gotten here? He turned and saw a woman sitting there. He wasn't sure who she was, but she was very pretty.

"Hello, Leonardo," she said.

"How do you know my name?" Leo asked her.

"I know a lot about you," she replied. "You are a brave warrior and a great fighter."

"But I failed," he argued. "I was defeated."

"All warriors must suffer a defeat," she told him. "It is how they learn to get better. You must not let this get you down. You must go back. Your brothers need you."

"They don't need me," he insisted. "I'll only drag them down."

"That is not true," she contradicted. "They depend on you and love you. You cannot abandon them now."

"I'm not strong enough," he whimpered. "I'm too weak. There's no way I can find the strength to go back."

"I will help you," she said. "Just take my hand, and I will guide you."

Leo did as she said, and he felt his strength returning to him. She led him on and he could see a portal though it was different than a Kraang portal. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew he could trust the woman even though he didn't know her. She was right. He had to get back to his brothers. He took a deep breath and entered the portal. It enveloped him and he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was in an unfamiliar room, but a familiar face greeted him.

"Raph?" he whispered.

"Leo?" Raph gasped. "You're awake!" He turned and yelled, "Guys! Guys, get up here!"

Leo heard footsteps and saw April, Casey, Donnie, and Mikey as they entered the room. Mikey ran and flung his arms around Leo, shedding tears of joy. They helped him out of the tub and down the stairs to the living room. They settled him in a chair while Don got his makeshift stethoscope and began examining Leo while everyone else filled him in on what had happened while he'd been asleep.

"We've really been here for three months?" Leo asked incredulously. "I've been out for that long?"

"You had us worried sick, Leo," April said. "Raph barely slept."

"It was nothin'," Raph said modestly, but Leo could tell he was relieved that his brother was awake.

"So why is his voice different?" Casey asked.

"He sustained damage to his throat along with pretty much everything else," Don answered.

Leo winced as a spasm of pain tore through him.

"Here, take some of my patented mutagen medicine," Don said. "You'll be healed in no time."

Leo took some of the green stuff and it tasted horrible. He cringed. "Ugh, it tastes like something that should be coming out of me and not going into me," he commented. He hoped he wouldn't have to take it for very long.

Raph sat beside him and put his arm around him. "Tomorrow we're gonna do some training," he said. "You and me. I'll have you on your feet in no time, bro."

Leo smiled and felt better now that he knew Raph had his back. He yawned. He was still a little tired.

"Looks like somebody should go to bed," Don commented.

"I'll take him," Raph offered. "He's bunking with me." He helped Leo up and guided him up the stairs and to the nearest room.

"So is everyone sharing a room?" Leo asked.

"Don and Mikey are in one," Raph answered. "April and Casey are in separate rooms, though I think Casey wishes he was sharing with April. I'm in this one, and I figured you'd want to sleep here, too. You really shouldn't be alone."

"Thanks, Raph," Leo replied. "I don't want to be alone right now anyway." He settled into bed and sighed as Raph tucked the covers in around him.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Raph said. "Wait here." He hurried downstairs and came back with an ice pack. "This is for your leg. Don noticed your knee seems to be swollen." He put the ice pack on Leo's knee. "There. Does that feel better?"

Leo nodded. "It does," he replied. "Thanks so much, Raph."

"Don't mention it," Raph said in the same tone he'd used when April revealed he hadn't left his brother's side. "Now let's get some shut eye. We've got some training to do tomorrow."

"So what exactly does this training entail?" Leo asked his brother.

Raph grinned. "You'll find out tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning, bro."

"Goodnight, Raph," Leo replied. He lay on his left side and closed his eyes. He heard Raph get into bed beside him and was a little startled. "Aren't you going to sleep in your own bed?"

"I figured you didn't want to be alone and could use the company," Raph answered.

His words made Leo feel good. He really didn't want to be alone at the moment, and he was glad Raph recognized that. "Well, thanks again," he said. "See you in the morning."

He felt Raph's arm rest on his shell as he closed his eyes. For the first time since the attack happened, Leo felt a sense of contentment. He was going to be okay, and the best part was that he was with the ones he loved. He wanted to know what happened to Splinter but figured that could wait until tomorrow. He was just too tired to deal with any of that at the moment. With a sigh of relief, Leo closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him.

A/N: Yay! Another chapter is done. I know many of you are going to wonder why he never asked after Splinter right away and that's because he was still trying to process everything that had happened since the attack. As you know, he didn't ask after Splinter when the episode started and they didn't talk about it until the next day after Leo woke up, so that's what I'm going by here. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Weak

A/N: The third chapter is here! I swear, I'm getting this out faster than I thought I would which is a good thing. I want to thank all of those who have left kind reviews. Your words mean the world to me. This chapter will take place right after "Within the Woods."

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I am just a fan who is using the characters for fun and who is psyched for new episodes to begin on Sunday.

Leo sighed as he got up. He was still tired from staying up by Raph's side while Don fixed him. Raph had been surprised when April told him that Leo hadn't left his side, but Leo had told him it was what brothers did. He noticed Raph had gotten up and figured it was time for him to get up as well. He grabbed the crutch Don had made for him and made his way downstairs. His family was in the kitchen, and Mikey was serving breakfast.

"Good morning, Leo," Mikey greeted him. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah, I did," Leo answered. "So what's on the schedule for today?"

"Training as usual, though yours is gonna be different," Raph replied. "I'm not sure what anyone else has planned though. We'll just take it day by day."

"Casey and I are going to the store," April said. "We need to stock up on supplies."

After breakfast was over, everyone made their way out to the yard. Usually, Leo would observe the training session and give pointers, but today, he had a better idea. He set his crutch against a tree and faced his family, drawing his swords.

"Leo, what are you doing?" Raph asked.

"I'm going to train with you guys," answered Leo.

"Leo, you're in no condition to do that," protested Don.

"Hey, if I can fight The Creep on an injured leg, I can train with you guys," insisted Leo.

"And you barely got out of that fight," Don reminded him. "You're still weak, Leo. You need to allow yourself time to heal."

The words flooded through Leo's head, reminding him of Raph's words to him. "C'mon, Leo, you need to build up those muscles. You've gotten really weak." Well, he was going to prove to them that he wasn't weak and that he could hold his own.

"I'm not weak," he answered. "I can train, and I'm going to."

Raph shrugged. "Suit yourself. Okay, April, you spar with Mikey. Donnie, you're with Casey and that leaves Leo with me."

Leo smiled as he faced his brother. He was glad Raph wasn't leaving him out of this. He took a stance and got ready to face off. Raph charged him, and Leo blocked his attack, ducking low under Raph's arm and kicking the back of his shell. Raph spun around and aimed a kick at Leo, but he dodged it and brought his sword up to strike. Raph parried the move and managed to knock one of Leo's swords out of his hand. Undeterred, Leo used his other sword to try to knock Raph's sais out of his hands, but Raph anticipated the move and countered it. Then he made a move to sweep Leo's leg out from under him, catching his right leg instead of his left as he meant to do. Leo fell and landed on his right knee, clutching it in pain.

"Oh, man, I'm so sorry, Leo," Raph said, hurrying to his brother's side. "I meant to take out your left leg."

Leo winced, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm okay," he gasped out.

"I told you so," Don said. "You're not strong enough for this, Leo."

"Yes, I am!" Leo insisted. "I have to train with the rest of you. It's the only way we'll be able to go back to New York and take back the city from the Kraang."

"You need to heal first, Leo," Don argued. "Pushing yourself is only going to exacerbate the injury."

"Dude, I think he's exasperated by your nagging," Mikey chimed in.

"Mikey, he means that if Leo pushes himself, he's going to make his injury worse," April corrected him. "That's what exacerbate means."

"I know you want to go back to New York, Leo, but you need to give yourself time to heal," Don told him.

Leo didn't answer him. Why did Don have to second guess him like this? Didn't he have faith that Leo could still fight? He took Raph's offered hand and let Raph pull him to his feet. Casey handed Leo his crutch and he put it under his right arm, trying to steady his throbbing leg.

"Let's get you back to the house, bro," Raph said softly. "We'll put some ice on it. I'm so sorry I did that."

"It's not your fault, Raph," said Leo gently. "It could have happened with any match." He let Raph guide him to the house and upstairs. As he was settling into bed, he asked, "Why does Donnie insist that I can't train? Has he lost faith in me or something?"

"It's not that, Leo," Raph answered. "I think he's just scared that you might have a relapse and we'll lose you again. He's been torn up ever since we left New York."

"I thought you were the one who was upset," Leo said.

"We all were, but Donne was really taking it hard on account of that argument you guys had before you separated. Don told me all about it and how guilty he was that you'd gotten attacked. When we first got up here, he was the one by your side all of the time, but I could tell it was taking a toll on him and that he couldn't handle it. So I volunteered to stay with you so that he could distract himself so he wouldn't think about the guilt. I figured if he had something to do, he wouldn't focus on it as much if someone else was by your side."

"So you really didn't want to stay with me?" Leo asked him. "You were just doing it for Donnie's sake?"

"No, of course not!" Raph protested. "I wanted to stay by your side and I had no problem with that. I was just afraid that Don would have a nervous breakdown if he stayed with you all of the time. That's why he's so concerned about you, Leo. He's trying to make up for what he did to you that day because he doesn't want to be responsible for you getting hurt."

Leo sighed. "I guess I can understand that," he said. "Maybe I shouldn't push too hard. I just hate being so weak right now."

"You'll get stronger, bro," Raph soothed. "I'm gonna make it my mission to get you back on your feet just like I promised. We'll start tomorrow."

"Sounds good," said Leo. "Thanks for having my back, Raph."

"Don't mention it." He punched Leo in the shoulder and left him to rest.

A little while later, Don came to check on him. "Can I come in, Leo?" he asked.

"Sure," answered Leo.

Don came in and sat down next to his injured brother. "Leo, I want to apologize for my behavior both during the invasion and now," he said. "I'm just being so stupid, and I hate myself for it."

"Donnie, don't blame yourself," Leo said gently. "I forgive you for what happened that day. I never should have questioned you."

"But you were right," Don told him. "The Turtle Mech was a complete failure. It bought us some time, but we weren't able to take Kraang Prime down. We should have just left the city like you said. If we had, you wouldn't have been ambushed."

"Donnie, I don't think it would have mattered," Leo said softly. "They would have ambushed me anyway even if there hadn't been an invasion. You can't blame yourself for any of this."

"Well, I'm sorry for what I said out there, too," Don said. "I'm just scared you'll suffer a relapse."

"I know. Raph already told me about it, and I understand, Donnie. You're just being a good doctor and worrying about me getting better. I promise I won't push myself too hard, okay? I'm gonna do what Raph asks of me and nothing more than that."

"Good," Don said with a smile. "I've already looked up some exercises you guys could do in the woods and I even gave Raph a notebook to record your progress with. That way we can assess how long it'll take you to heal and what you need work on."

"Well we already know I can't take a hit to the leg," Leo told him.

"Yep and that's one of the things we need to watch," Don said.

Leo was about to say something else when Mikey interrupted them. "Oh, Leeeooo, there's someone who wants to seeee yoooou," he singsonged as he brought Ice Cream Kitty into the room.

"Mikey, you can't bring the cat in here!" Don protested.

"Why not?" Mikey asked. "She wanted to visit Leo, and animals are good therapy for people who are injured."

"I'm okay with it, Donnie," Leo said. "Just relax."

"Suit yourself," Don said, rolling his eyes as he left the room.

Mikey put Ice Cream Kitty on Leo's lap. "Here you go, Kitty," he said.

Leo stroked Ice Cream Kitty's head. "Hey, Ice Cream Kitty, are you being a good girl for Mikey?" he asked.

"Meow," Ice Cream Kitty said as she licked Leo's face.

"I think that means yes," Mikey said with a smile.

"I think so, too," Leo said as he scratched the mutant cat behind her ears. She purred and rubbed her face against him.

"Aww, Ice Cream Kitty is such a good girl," cooed Mikey.

"Yes, she's a very good girl, aren't you?" Leo cooed back. "She helps us guard our food."

"You got that right," Mikey said. "No one will mess with our food as long as Ice Cream Kitty's around."

The cat crawled up to Leo's shoulder and tried playing with his mask tails, but Leo held her back.

"No, you can't play with those," he chastised. "They're not a toy. We really should think about getting her some cat toys for when she's out of the freezer."

"Maybe the next time April and Casey go into town I can suggest it," Mikey said.

"Are they in town now?"

Mikey nodded. "Yep, they just left, but they should be back soon."

Ice Cream Kitty crawled to Leo's injured knee and nudged the ice pack out of the way. She licked his knee with her tongue and then gently set a paw on it.

"Kitty, don't do that!" protested Mikey. "He's hurt there."

"It's okay, Mikey," Leo soothed. "That actually feels pretty good."

"Oh, okay," Mikey said. "That's a good girl, Kitty."

She stayed like that for a short time before moving away and waving her arms, indicating that she wanted Mikey to pick her up.

"Looks like she wants to go back," Leo commented.

"Yeah, she's been out enough," Mikey agreed. "Come on, Kitty. Time to go back home." He picked her up in his arms. "Say goodbye to Leo first."

Ice Cream Kitty licked Leo's face again, and he scratched her ears.

"See you later, Ice Cream Kitty," he said. "I'll be down in a little while, Mikey. Make sure the others know."

"You got it," Mikey said. He gave him a wave before going downstairs to put Ice Cream Kitty back.

Leo went to the bathroom and used a washcloth to wipe away the ice cream stains left behind by the mutant cat. He certainly felt better than he had before, and he had to credit Mikey with coming up with the idea to bring the cat in to see him. He definitely was onto something about animals being therapeutic for injured patients, and it definitely had worked. He went downstairs and watched TV with his brothers, the trials of the day forgotten. Yes, he was still weak and still had some work to do on healing, but he knew that as long as he had his family and friends by his side, he could do anything. He vowed to get better so that they could go back to New York and finish the Kraang off for good. He would make Splinter proud of him and show Shredder that he wasn't going to be taken down like that ever again.

"You okay, Leo?" Raph asked him.

"Yeah," Leo answered. "I've never felt better."

A/N: And another chapter comes to a close. I loved writing about Ice Cream Kitty since I'm such a cat lover. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Fall

A/N: This next chapter will take place after "A Foot Too Big." I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. I'm so glad you're enjoying this story, and I can't wait to write more for you.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

The breeze was cool as it caressed Leo's face. The sun was shining, and he was happy to be outside once again for another therapy session. He'd been having regular sessions every day, but after they met Bigfoot, the sessions had been called off due to the strange hunter in the woods. Now that all of that mess was cleaned up, Raph had once again been helping Leo get better.

"Okay, Leo, let's see how you can balance on this log," he said.

Leo gingerly got up on it and balanced with his good leg. He stayed up there for a short time but began shaking and almost fell off before Raph caught him.

"Nice try, Leo, but you still need to work on that," Raph said.

"I've been working on it for days," Leo complained. "Why can't I get it right?"

"Like Donnie said, it's going to take time for you to get back to where you were," Raph explained. "Healing takes time, so don't sweat it. Since your balance is still off, we won't even try crossing the creek. Let's just walk for a little bit."

Leo nodded and walked beside his brother. He was frustrated that he wasn't getting better, but it still felt good to be spending time with Raph. His red-clad brother was determined to get Leo back to where he was, but it was taking a long time.

"Raph, do you really want to help me get better?" Leo asked him.

"Of course I do, Leo. Why do you think I'm doing all of this?"

"You're not getting tired of hearing me complain about how I'm not progressing or anything?"

Raph put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Leo, it's okay to be mad. You know I'm not the most patient guy around, and I know how that attack hurt you and affected you. It doesn't bother me that you're upset. That's why I'm here to make you feel better. Just try to keep your chin up, okay?"

Leo sighed. "I'll do my best."

They reached a hill and looked down it. Leo took a few steps forward to get closer, but his crutch caught on some leaves, causing him to slip and roll down the hill. When he reached the bottom, he landed painfully on his injured leg and clutched it, wincing in pain. Images filled him as he remembered the fall down the slope after the Foot attacked him. He looked up and thought he saw Shredder gazing down at him. He gasped and closed his eyes, willing himself not to think about it.

"Leo, are you okay?" Raph asked.

Leo opened his eyes and saw that Raph was looking down at him, not Shredder. "No," he answered. "I can't believe I did that. I'm so stupid and clumsy."

Raph hurried down the hill to Leo's side. "It's not your fault," he said gently. "You didn't know that would happen. Now let's get you back up." He pulled his brother to his feet and gave him back his crutch. Then they continued on until they found a path that would take them back to the farmhouse. Raph led Leo inside and had him sit on the couch. Don and the others hurried in and asked what had happened.

"I fell down a hill after my crutch caught on some leaves," Leo answered.

"Dude, that sucks," Mikey said gently. "I'll go get some ice." He went to the kitchen and came back with an ice pack for Leo's knee.

"So how was the session?" Don asked them.

"Leo's balance is still off," Raph reported. "That's about all we did before he fell."

"That was the dumbest move of my life," Leo complained. "I never should have done any of that without Raph to guide me."

"It's not your fault, Leo," April said. "You had no idea the leaves would catch on your crutch. At least you got out for a bit instead of being cooped up in the house."

"I can even help with some therapy of my own," Casey offered.

"What do you know about therapy?" Don demanded.

"I play hockey, remember?" Casey reminded him. "I've been injured enough times to know the score. I hurt my knee a few times and had to go physical therapy. I remember some of the exercises, so maybe I can show them to Leo so he can get better. What do you say, Leo?"

"I think that sounds great," Leo answered. "If it can get me better faster, I'll take it."

"Awesome!" Casey exclaimed. "We can start tomorrow, right, Raph?"

"Yeah, we can do that," Raph replied.

'Okay, but don't push him too hard," Don reminded the boy. "He can't afford to have a relapse."

"Relax, Don," Casey reassured him. "Casey Jones has it under control."

"I highly doubt that," Don muttered.

Leo rolled his eyes and wondered when Don was going to get over his rivalry with Casey. He decided not to dwell on it and focused on the show that was on TV. He was happy that Casey was taking an interest in his recovery and that the boy was willing to help. Maybe he could get better faster, and then they could go home, find Splinter, and take back the city. Leo would do whatever it took to get back in shape.

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The next day, Casey, Raph, and Leo got ready to work on some therapy exercises. Although the Turtles had sustained injuries before, they'd never had to do any sort of physical therapy. Most of their first aid had consisted of ice packs, bandages, and medicine that Splinter provided. Leo had never had an injury that required any physical therapy, and he was a little nervous about what this whole thing was about.

Casey seemed to sense his anxiety. "Don't worry, Leo, you're gonna be fine," he said. "Casey Jones knows what he's doing. Okay, first thing you wanna do is try to bend your leg as far as it will go to stretch the muscle. If it hurts too much, then don't worry about it. I just want to see if you can do it."

Leo nodded and did as Casey asked. It hurt, and Leo winced and immediately returned it to normal. "That didn't work," he said bitterly.

"It was a good try though," Casey soothed. "Don't sweat it. Here, put this around your leg." He handed Leo what looked like some towels twisted together.

"What are these?" Leo asked him.

"They're supposed to be therapy bands," Casey answered. "I looked in town, but I couldn't find any, so I had to improvise. They'll help you strengthen your leg. All you do is stretch your leg out and then in."

"Okay," Leo said and did as Casey asked. Surprisingly, it wasn't that bad, and Leo felt better knowing that there was something he could do. He gave Casey a smile of thanks which the boy returned.

"Good job, Leo," Raph praised him.

"Thanks," Leo said. "So what's next?"

"Try to balance this ball on your foot," Casey said handing him an old soccer ball he'd found in the barn. "It's a good way to work on your balancing skills."

"But what if I fall?" Leo asked him.

"You won't," Raph reassured him. "I'll be right here to catch you."

Leo took a deep breath and held his leg out straight. Casey set the ball on his right foot, and he held it out to balance with. It started hurting, but he did his best to mask the pain. He wasn't going to fail this. His leg started shaking along with his whole body. The ball fell off his foot, and he listed to the side, but Raph was right there to catch him.

"Man, that sucks," Leo moaned. "I almost had it."

"You did good though," Raph encouraged him. "You held it for a long time."

"Yeah, not bad for your first time trying it," Casey added.

"What else do you want me to do?" Leo asked.

"Sit on the couch and I'll massage your knee," Casey offered. "I know of a way to do it that my physical therapist did for me all of the time."

Raph helped Leo to the couch, and Casey sat on the floor and began gently massaging Leo's knee in slow circles. Leo closed his eyes, feeling content as he felt the boy's fingers gently rubbing over his knee.

"Does it hurt too much?" Casey asked him.

"No, it feels good," Leo replied.

"Okay, but if I hurt you, let me know and I'll stop," Casey told him.

Leo nodded, but Casey never hurt him once. After the massage was over Leo felt better and at ease.

"Man, I'm better at this than I thought," Casey bragged.

"You really are good at massaging," Leo commented.

"Nice job, Jones," Raph said, punching his friend in the shoulder. "You did good."

"Yeah, but Leo was awesome, too. I was thinking that maybe we could do this every day along with you guys walking in the woods in the afternoon."

"I think we can arrange that," Raph answered. "What do you think, Leo?"

"I think that's an awesome idea," Leo said. "Thanks again, Casey. You really helped me a lot today."

"Hey, anything for my friends," Casey said with a smile. "I'm gonna go put this stuff back. Catch you guys later."

Raph sat down beside Leo. "Well, what did you think?"

"Casey did a good job," Leo said. "I know this may sound mean, but I never thought he was good at this type of stuff."

"Me neither," Raph replied. "But it's a good thing he's here. We'll definitely have to do this again tomorrow, too."

"I think I can live with that," Leo said. "For now, I think I'm going to take a nap. I'm a little tired."

"You want some help?"

"No, I can do it," Leo answered. "See you later, Raph."

After he settled into bed, Leo couldn't help but feel happier about everything. He was still hurt, but the therapy had helped, and he had confidence that as long as he kept trying, he'd get better sooner. With a sigh, he fell asleep, excited for the prospect of what tomorrow would bring and what he hoped to accomplish next.

A/N: I can't believe I got this chapter out! I really wanted to bring Casey in and have him interact with Leo a bit. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Cry

A/N: We've seen Casey interact with Leo, and now it's time for April to have her turn. This chapter takes place after "Buried Secrets." Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed. It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Leo felt he was progressing more and more each day, and his mood was improving. However, there was still something nagging at him, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. After a pretty rigorous session with Casey and Raph, Leo headed to his room to rest. His eyes fell on the picture of Splinter and his wife and daughter. Don had rescued it from the Lair before they left, and they had decided that Leo needed to keep it the most. He picked up the frame and focused on the family in the picture. How happy they all looked! Did they know what would happen to them later on in life? Did they know how their lives would change for all of them?

Leo's thoughts turned to Splinter. What would he think if he was here? He had a feeling Splinter would be angry about everything. He'd be mad at Shredder for attacking Leo, mad at Leo and Donnie for arguing, and mad at Leo for abandoning his brothers. A wave of sadness washed over the blue-clad Turtle. He felt tears fill his eyes and saw them splash onto the picture, but he made no move to wipe them away.

"Leo, are you okay?" a voice asked.

Leo looked up and saw April standing in the doorway. She took in his tearstained face and sad eyes. Her own blue eyes filled with sympathy as she spotted what he was holding.

"Oh, Leo," she cooed. She went to him and threw her arms around him, rubbing his shell and making soothing noises. Leo let the tears fall as he embraced his friend. She knew exactly what it was like to lose a parent, and she'd lost another one not too long ago.

"I'm so sorry, April," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry for everything."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Your dad got mutated again because of us," he answered. "It seems we'll never stop being a nuisance to you."

"Leo, it wasn't your fault," she said. "Kraang Prime was the one who mutated Dad, not you guys. I know you're hurting right now, and I get that. I miss Splinter, too."

"He'd be so disappointed in me," Leo told her. "I failed him and let the enemy defeat me."

"He would not be disappointed in you," April told him. "He'd be proud that you fought bravely as a warrior should. Master Splinter once told me that a warrior who never fails, never learns. I was mad about not getting a kata right and he told me that sometimes it takes time and that failure is a way for everyone to learn. He said his sensei used to tell him that, so that's how he learned about it. So I don't think he'd be upset with you for not defeating Shredder."

"Maybe you're right, but it still hurts to know that I failed," Leo answered.

"I think I know something that might cheer you up," April replied. "Come on." She led him from the room and into the kitchen where she opened the refrigerator and said, "Ice Cream Kitty, we'd like two small tubs of Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream please." The cat gave them to her with a meow, and April scratched her ears before closing the door.

"You think ice cream is going to cheer me up?" Leo asked her.

"It always cheers me up when I'm feeling down," she answered. She set a tub in front of him and gave him a spoon.

Leo opened the tub and immediately dug in, letting the flavors dance over his tongue. "That's pretty good," he commented. "I've always liked this type of ice cream."

"I figured you would," April said. "And I get why you're feeling down about Master Splinter, too. You shouldn't blame yourself though. If anything, you should blame me."

"Why should I blame you?"

"I led Irma to the Lair. I was the reason the Kraang invaded it and trashed it. I'm the reason we split up and the reason you got ambushed. So if you want to yell at anyone, go ahead and yell at me."

Leo looked into April's blue eyes and set a hand on her shoulder. "April, I don't blame you for any of it. You never knew what Irma was, and I don't think you could have stopped the invasion from happening. I'm not angry at you for any of it, and you shouldn't blame yourself for it any longer. It was an error in judgment, but you were trying to help out your friend."

"Yeah, but something's been bugging me. If Irma was a Kraang all along, why didn't I sense that? I'm part Kraang, and my powers tend to strengthen whenever I'm near anything having to do with the Kraang."

Leo knew what she was getting at and remembered that burst of power she'd used against the Kraang clone of her mother. "Maybe they had something masking her so you wouldn't be able to suspect it was a Kraang," he mused. "They probably knew you had these powers and that if you sensed what was wrong, the jig would be up. So they developed something that masked the Kraang presence. Either that, or maybe Irma was real and the Kraang kidnapped her and impersonated her to fulfill their plan."

"You could be right," said April. "All I know is that I've felt horrible about the whole thing."

"Well, you don't have to feel that way anymore," said Leo reassuringly. "None of us blame you for any of it. We just have to try and move on and learn from it. That's all we can do."

April sighed. "So, have you been sleeping okay?"

"Not really," answered Leo. "I've had nightmares, and sometimes I'll wake up when I get a spasm in my knee."

"That sucks," said April sympathetically. "Maybe you should talk about your nightmares. It might help."

"I really don't want to discuss it right now," replied Leo, turning away from her so she wouldn't see the pain in his eyes.

"Well, when you do, just know that we're all here for you to talk."

"I know. I'm lucky to have all of you here."

"And I see Casey isn't being too hard on you in therapy," noted April.

"Nah, he's been great about the whole thing, and it's really helped. I know he may seem like a jerk at times, but he's really a cool guy who has a good heart."

"Yeah, I see that, too. I think the problem is that he wants more than just friendship, and I can't give him that right now."

"Is that because of how you feel about Donnie?"

"How do you know about that?" gasped April.

Leo laughed. "I'm a ninja, April. I can sense things like that. Plus, I see the way he acts around you and the way you act around him. It's not hard to see that you both like each other."

"I do like him, but I don't know if I like him in a romantic sense."

"Do you get a funny feeling when you're around him?"

"Sometimes," she admitted. "But I'm just so confused about the whole thing. There are times where I feel like he's more of a brother to me, but then there are times where that feeling will change and it's something more. I know I need to face it and deal with it, but it's hard. And maybe it's more about the fact that while I'm part mutant, I still am a human. I know it shouldn't matter as much, but it does in the long run. When I was a little girl, I always dreamed about having a fairy tale wedding like the ones I saw in movies and read in books. But now that my world has changed, I don't know what I want anymore."

"I can understand that, but it's not right for you to lead Donnie on," Leo told her. "You'll have to eventually tell him how you feel and be honest about it. You have to sort out your feelings and decide how you really feel about him. I know you don't want to hurt him, but if you don't feel attracted to him, he needs to know that."

"I know, Leo," she moaned. "I feel awful about all of this. I know I may come off as a bitch with all of this, but it's not that easy to really pinpoint how I feel."

"Meditate on it," Leo suggested. "Maybe an answer will come to you."

"Well, I did kiss him," she confessed.

"You kissed him?" Leo repeated. "On the lips?"

"Yeah, something just came over me, and I just did it."

"Then maybe that's a sign that you like him," Leo told her. "Follow your heart, April. Don't try to pretend you don't like him when you do. And don't worry about Casey either. I'm sure he'll get over it and find someone else in time."

"Or maybe you and I could set him up with someone," April teased.

"No, matchmaking's not really my thing," he said.

April shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

Leo sighed and finished his ice cream. "Thanks for the ice cream, April," he said. "It really did make me feel better."

"No problem, Leo. I'm always glad to help out."

He gave her a hug and left to go watch some TV. Raph joined him later and noted that Leo was definitely in a different mood.

"You okay, Leo?" he asked.

"Yeah, April and I shared some ice cream," Leo answered.

"You sure Donnie won't freak about that?"

Leo laughed. "No, I don't think he will."

"So what was the occasion?"

"I was thinking about Sensei and was upset, so she cheered me up."

"What made you upset?"

"I was looking at the picture of Splinter, Tang Shen, and Miwa, and I just broke down. I've been holding it in all this time, and just seeing them made me sad and worried."

Raph put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Don't sweat it, bro," he said gently. "You're allowed to be sad. At least you got it out."

"Yeah, Master Splinter always says that if you bottle emotions up, they'll fester until they explode like a corked bottle."

"You got that right. So, you up for some wrestling?"

"I can't wrestle you, Raph, remember?"

"I meant a video game, Leo," Raph said, punching him in the shoulder.

"You're on," Leo said.

And so they played the video game, which was one of the older games and not a current one. Raph played as Hulk Hogan while Leo played as "Macho Man" Randy Savage. It looked like Raph was winning, but Leo was able to kick out of the pin and get Raph winded enough to where he could get the flying elbow on him and pinned him for the win.

"Hey, you cheated!" Raph fumed.

"I did not!" Leo protested. "Oooh, yeah, feel the madness!"

"Hey, that's a good impression of him," Raph commented. "But whatcha gonna do, brother, when Hulkamania runs wild on you?" He mimicked tearing off his shirt.

"Nice one," Leo said.

"Thanks," Raph replied. "But I want a rematch tomorrow."

"You got it," Leo said.

The two sat and watched TV until Mikey made dinner. The rest of the day was filled with fun banter and laughter until everyone was ready to go to bed. Leo reflected on his talk with April and really hoped that she'd tell Donnie how she really felt soon. He didn't want his brother to get hurt over her. It made him think of Karai and how he'd felt about her. Yes, his feelings had been complicated and it had been stupid to fall for someone who was supposed to be his enemy, but it had worked out in the end. Sure, he couldn't really have a romance with her given that she was his sister now, but he could still love her as a sibling and support her in learning about herself and her place in the family. He only hoped Donnie would learn more about his feelings for April and that he could handle it if April rejected him. With that last thought in his head, the leader fell asleep.

22222

Leo's knee was still throbbing from the therapy session he'd had, but he figured putting ice on it would help. He made his way to the house and found April in the living room looking at a book. Her head was down, and she was crying. Concerned, Leo went to her side and sat down next to her.

"April, are you okay?" he asked.

April looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine, Leo," she said. "I was just looking at the family album. We have so many memories here."

"I can see that," Leo said as he looked at a picture of April, her father, and her mother. They were by the stream in the woods and were clearly happy. "Who took the pictures?"

"My aunt," April replied. "She would come down and visit us in the summer."

"I know something that will cheer you up," Leo said. "C'mon." He took her hand and led her outside to the woods.

"You think a walk in the woods is supposed to cheer me up?" she asked him.

"It always cheers me up when I'm feeling down," he said, echoing her words back to her.

April laughed. "Touche," she said with a smile. "Then let's go."

The two of them walked in the woods and April pointed out certain places she used to go with her parents. Leo smiled as he watched her face. She was so happy as she looked at all of the places she had fond memories of. They reached the stream, and Leo led her to a rock that was big enough for both of them to sit on.

"I really like the stream here," Leo commented. "It's so peaceful."

"Yeah, it is," April said softly. "Did you have anything like that in the sewers?"

"There were streams there, but nothing like this with flowers growing and the sun shining down. It's just not the same, but at the time, I always thought it was peaceful down there."

"You must feel differently now that you've experienced the real thing."

"A little, but I still wouldn't trade what we had for anything. I'm just focused on getting better so we can go back home and take back what's ours."

"You will get better, Leo. You're doing remarkably well, and I think it's only a matter of time before you heal. It shouldn't be long now."

"I hope you're right. I sometimes come here to meditate."

"Does it work?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, it really helps me find the peace I need. You want to meditate together?"

April nodded. "Sure. I've never meditated with you before."

The two of them closed their eyes and entered the meditative state together. Leo had never meditated with April before, and he was amazed by her spiritual presence and the many layers it had. She was full of joy to be with him right now, but she was also full of sadness for what she had thought she gained and had lost as well as worried that they'd never bring her dad back to who he was. He found images of their time at the farmhouse when he was unconscious, images she'd kept to herself for a long time but were now in plain view. He saw Raph's constant vigil over him, Don's guilt at their argument, Mikey's worry and his trying to mask it by being funny, Casey's anger at being away from his family, and April's sadness that things would never be the same again. He had to wonder what April was seeing with him, but he would never know. The images scared him and made him think about what could have been had he not woken up. They probably would have fallen apart if they'd lost him.

He came out of the meditative state with ease, still feeling anxiety for all he had seen. It must have shown on his face because April was looking at him with concern.

"Leo, are you okay?" she asked gently.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered. "Let's go back."

When they arrived back at the house, April went to the kitchen to get food while Leo went up to his room. He lay on his bed with an ice pack on his knee and reflected on what he'd seen today. It had been horrible to see the worry on everyone's faces as they waited for him to wake up. How could he have put them through that? How could he have been so stupid by wandering off away from his family? What would have been Splinter's reaction to learning his son was dead because of a foolish decision?

A knock on the door interrupted Leo's thoughts. "Yes?" he asked.

"Hey, Leo, you up for that rematch?" Raph asked him.

"Sure," answered Leo.

The two of them played the game, but as they did, Leo's thoughts kept coming back to his guilt over what had happened. The images kept playing in his head, causing him not to be focused on what was going on in the present. They changed to the city and Leo being chased by the Foot. At first, it looked like he was watching it on TV and then it changed to him actually being there. He defeated Shredder's henchman and then turned around to see Shredder looming over him. With a cry of alarm, Leo closed his eyes, willing the images to fade away before he was taken down by Shredder once more.

"Leo?" Raph asked, shaking him. "Leo, what's wrong?"

Leo came back to himself with a gasp, looking around frantically. His eyes focused on his brother who was looking at him with concern in his eyes.

"Are you okay, bro?"

He shook his head. "No," he whispered.

"Let's get you to bed," Raph said gently. He led Leo upstairs and to the room they shared. Leo complied and lay down while Raph went and got him some tea. "Here, drink this. You'll feel better."

Leo took the tea and drank it, his hands still shaking.

"What happened?" Raph asked him.

"I had a flashback," Leo answered. "I think what brought it on was that I was meditating with April and I saw images of you guys when I was in my coma. You were all so worried and I began thinking about what would have happened if I hadn't made it and how it would make you feel if I was no longer around. The images just kept playing and then when we were playing the game, it changed to when I got attacked."

"Whoa. That's harsh, bro."

"I know, and I've been trying to forget about everything, but it keeps coming back."

"You went through a lot, Leo. It makes sense that you'd relive it from time to time. But just remember that you're safe and no one is gonna hurt you ever again. Not while we're here. You got that?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, I know," he said. "Thanks so much, Raph. I'm so lucky to have you here."

"Well, I can't imagine what my life would be like without you naggin' me to death," Raph said with a smile. "I'd probably go nuts. Do you feel better now?"

"I think I do now," he replied. "Sorry our rematch got cut short though."

"No sweat. We can always do it another time if you're up for it. We just won't do it after you meditate, okay?"

"Sounds good."

"Get some rest, bro. You've been through enough today. I'll stay with you so you're not lonely."

Leo sighed as Raph began rubbing his shell, and he felt himself relax with the soothing movement. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to rest knowing that Raph would be there for him no matter what. The images disappeared and new ones took their place of all of them enjoying their time together at the farm as a family. He allowed these images to flood his mind and they took him to a place of peace and rest.

A/N: So that's the end of another chapter. I had a lot of fun with this one and hope that you all enjoyed it. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


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